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HOUSE
PASSES AGE-65 BILLThe House has unanimously passed a bill
that would raise the mandatory retirement age for airline pilots to 65.
According to The Associated Press (the actual bill was not available on
the Library of Congress Web site at this writing) the proposed
legislation, which still has to pass through the Senate, would bring the
U.S. in line with the rest of the world. However, it appears
theres an important difference in the Houses version of the
legislation compared to the International Civil Aviation
Organizations rule. According to The Associated Presss
understanding of the bill, two 65-year-old pilots could fill left and
right seats, where the ICAO says at least one member of the flight crew
must be 60 years or less. More...

PowerLink FADEC
Certified on Liberty XL-2; Is It Right for Your
Aircraft?Liberty Aerospace is the first certified piston-powered aircraft
with PowerLink FADEC as standard equipment. PowerLink
FADEC is now also available for several additional certified and
experimental aircraft, including the A-36 Bonanza and VANS RV series.
Find out how you can bring your aircraft into the state-of-the-art
online.

NATA
CREATES NEW ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEEWith pressure increasing
from all quarters for aviation to lighten its load on our ecological
systems, the National Air Transportation Association (NATA) said on
Wednesday it has established an Environmental Committee. The committee will review
issues and develop NATA's position for dealing with concerns such as
aircraft emissions, carbon offset programs, spill prevention and
containment, the environmental impact of de-icing fluid, and changes to
the Clean Water Act as they affect aviation businesses. The committee
will hold its first meeting Jan. 28, 2008, in Savannah, Ga. Traver
Gruen-Kennedy, DayJet's vice president of strategic operations, will
preside as chairman. He said this week that the committee will strive to
ensure that the industry stays "ahead of the curve" on environmental
matters. "Whether it is carbon offset programs to reduce aircraft
emissions or the concerns about de-icing fluids' impact on the
environment, we are just being inundated with potential conflicts," he
said. More...

AERION
SST ORDERS TAKE OFFAerion Corp. took its first order for a supersonic
business jet just a few weeks ago, at the Dubai Air Show, but announced
on Tuesday that it has now secured orders for 19 jets at $80 million
each, totaling over $1.5 billion in commitments. "Considering our
marketing effort has barely begun, this is a tremendous validation of
the aircrafts appeal," Aerion Vice Chairman Brian Barents said in
a news release. The company said it expects to recruit a manufacturing
partner by 2008 and have a certified jet in service by 2014. ExecuJet CEO Niall
Olver, who is working with Aerion to help sell the jet, said: "Based on
the homework we did prior to entering into this agreement with Aerion,
we are not surprised at the number of people coming forward. This is
just the tip of the iceberg." More...

How Fast Can Aircraft Insurance Brokers Get You
an Answer ...
if they have to get it from someone else? That's a good question. At
Avemco, with one simple phone call, you're talking directly with
the aviation underwriter. Plus, Avemco offers consistent rates
and coverage, as well as short, easy-to-understand policies. So if
you're looking for direct answers to your aviation insurance needs, call
Avemco directly at (888) 241-7891 or
ask for a quote by visiting Avemco
online.

WELL-KNOWN
AUSSIE PILOT DIES IN AIR TANKER TESTCol Pay, regarded as one
of Australias "legendary" pilots in news reports from there, died
last week in a crash. Pay was test-flying an Air Tractor 802 air tanker,
made in Olney, Texas, when it flipped on a lake. Pay, 75, was evaluating
the aircraft, which was reportedly equipped with a system that allowed
wheel-equipped aircraft to skim the surface of a lake and scoop up water
for fighting fires. This type of aircraft is used in the U.S., Canada
and Europe for firefighting but the scooping versions are equipped with
amphibious floats and pick up water while in a high-speed taxi.
Pays accident happened while he was scooping water from Lake
Liddell in the Hunter Valley. More...

LSA
SECTOR GEARING UP FOR SEBRING 2008 EXPOThe annual Sport
Aviation Expo, focusing on the Light Sport Aircraft world, is coming
up soon -- Jan. 17 to 20 in Sebring, Fla. -- and exhibitors are starting
to crow about the new products they'll have on display. The
fastest-selling LSA, the Flight Design CT, will be there in a new model
that the company says has a larger cabin and improved handling
qualities. The aerodynamics of the CTLS were completely reworked using
full-size wind tunnel tests, so that "[even] less experienced pilots can
fly it easily," said Matthias Betsch, CEO of Flight Design. The CTLS
also has new landing gear with improved dampening to reduce rebound
after touchdown. The Expo will offer visitors a chance to learn about
and examine up close a variety of light sport aircraft, from trikes and
powered parachutes to the latest fixed-wing models. Free forums provided
by EAA cover topics such as how to earn the sport pilot certificate, how
to get insurance, and how to choose the right sport aircraft.
More...

AFSS Is Up to Speed. And Gaining
Altitude.
The new automated flight services system is here. Revolutionizing flight
service operations. Reducing legacy sites. Bringing 15 upgraded sites
and three hubs online. Retaining 1,200 specialists. Marrying local needs
with national information sources. The result: ever-improving levels of
performance. And a future of efficient, effective service that give
general aviation pilots more flexibility than they've ever thought
possible.
To see for yourself, visit
AFSS.com.

FAA
SHRUGS OFF NATCA SAFETY CONCERNTwo jets landing on
perpendicular runways at New York's Kennedy Airport on Sunday afternoon
were never in danger of colliding, the FAA said on Tuesday,
contradicting an assertion by the National Air Traffic Controllers
Association that both aircraft barely escaped a midair. "It was a
non-event," FAA spokesman Jim Peters told The Associated Press, after reviewing the radar
data. "There was no danger under the conditions that took place Sunday."
NATCA spokesman Doug Church told AVweb that a 747 cargo flight
was landing on 13L when the crew initiated a go-around. At the same
time, an Embraer 135, landing on perpendicular runway 22L, also went
around. The two airplanes barely missed each other, Church said. "It was
very, very close ... Controllers at JFK do not believe simultaneous
approaches to perpendicular runways -- in effect putting planes headed
towards one another -- is safe." Peters told the AP that landing on
perpendicular runways is not a problem. More...

ARE
O'HARE CONTROLLERS OVERWORKED?That's what Sen. Dick Durbin
(D-Ill.) wants Bobby Sturgell, the acting FAA administrator, to find
out. On Wednesday, Durbin said he is calling for an immediate
investigation into air traffic controller conditions, including staffing
levels and fatigue, at Chicago air traffic facilities. Durbins
announcement follows last week's runway safety report by the Government
Accountability Office, which showed OHare International Airport
had the second-highest number of near-collisions on its runways of any
U.S. airport between 2001 and 2006. The report cited air traffic
controller fatigue as a key issue affecting runway safety.
Controllers in the Chicago area are retiring at increasing rates
and it is clear that the FAA does not have a plan for the future,
said Durbin. Now the report has backed up what I've been hearing
directly from air traffic controllers -- low staffing levels are
contributing to controller fatigue and making our runways less safe.
It's time to go into these facilities, start asking tough questions and
do everything in our power to make air traffic safer. FAA
spokeswoman Tammy Jones told the Associated Press the agency would welcome an outside
review of the controllers' situation. More...

Over 16,000 Happy GAMIjectors® Customers
Can't Be Wrong!GAMIjectors® have given these aircraft owners reduced peak
cylinder head temperatures, reduced fuel consumption, and smoother
engine operation. GAMIjectors® alter the fuel/air ratio in
each cylinder so that each cylinder operates with a much more uniform
fuel/air ratio than occurs with any other factory set of injectors. To
speak to a GAMI engineer, call (888) FLY-GAMI, or
go online for complete engineering
details.

COMING
SOON  YEAR OF THE SPACESHIPIf you have someone on your
gift list who's tough to buy for, Neiman Marcus has a suggestion in its
2007 Christmas Book -- a journey into space with
Virgin Galactic, for yourself and five friends, going for $1,764,000.
Besides three days of preflight training, astronauts will be treated to
a four-day post-flight celebration as guests of Sir Richard Branson at
his private luxury resort on Necker Island in the Caribbean. It's the
"ultimate getaway ... genuinely out of this world," Neiman Marcus
promises. Meanwhile, Virgin president Wil Whitehorn spoke at a space
conference in the U.K. last week, and said he expects White Knight II to
be ready for its first test flight in July 2008, according to Flight International. On Jan. 23, Virgin will unveil
the designs for White Knight II as well as SpaceShipTwo. Both ships are
already more than half finished, Whitehorn said. "White Knight II will
look more like the Virgin Atlantic Globalflyer. We have built all the
models to show the public [the finished design in January]," Whitehorn
said. More...

YOUR
JET PACK IS HERE (MAYBE)Would you pay $200,000 for an
aircraft that could fly for only 10 minutes before you have to stop and
refuel? You might, if that aircraft was a James Bond-ish, futuristic jet
pack that you can strap on your back and fly. Jet Pack
International has been showcasing a working model at sports events
around the world, and will start selling a new user-friendly version to
the public next year, according to CNNMoney. If you can't wait, or don't have a spare
200 grand, Jet Pack CEO Troy Widgery is hiring professional pilots right
now, to fly the demos. "It's a dream job," he told CNN. He plans to
start using a jet pack for his daily five-mile commute starting next
summer. More...

ON
THE FLY ...USAF Thunderbirds will perform at Sun n' Fun in
April ...Canada's Safety Board wants better airline crew training
...The 50th anniversary of NASA will be featured at EAA AirVenture
2008. More...

Collier Trophy Collectible Medallion Series 3
Now AvailableNAA's Collier Trophy Centennial Medallion Series 3 is now
available for gift-giving or for your own collection, along with Series
1 and 2. A commemorative card encases a heavy metal medallion showing
the Collier Trophy on one side and an image of the F-22 Raptor on the
reverse. Series 1 reverse shows SpaceShipOne, and Series 2 reverse shows
the Eclipse 500.
Visit NAA's merchandise section to
view and order.

Artful Flying, Perfect Gift for Friends
or YourselfArtful Flying, the award-winning book by AVweb's
former As the Beacon Turns columnist Michael Maya Charles,
will show you how to turn your hours and hours of cockpit moments into a
lifetime of art. This is no ordinary "how-to" text!
Order online today and receive
complimentary ground shipping.

AVweb
reader David W. Douglas praises the Specialty Flight team for
stepping up to the plate when he arrived late on a Friday
afternoon:

I ... needed to hanger my Cirrus due to
incomming weather, ... and Specialty was kind enough to move one of
their own planes outside and put in mine. The owner, Lonnie, was very
kind and his FBO was pristine! There was a big frost that night and his
kindness helped me be able to leave the next day without concern for
frost/snow.

DID
YOUR BATTERY DIE? TELL US ABOUT ITOur sister publication,
Aviation Consumer, will soon publish an in-depth report on
aircraft batteries. As part of that report, the magazine would like to
hear about your experiences with aircraft batteries -- good, bad or
otherwise. To take part in our online survey, click here. More...

PICTURE
OF THE WEEK: AVWEB'S FLYING PHOTOGRAPHY SHOWCASEEach week, we go through dozens (and
sometimes hundreds) of reader-submitted photos and pick the very best to
share with you on Thursday mornings. The top photos are featured on
AVweb's home page, and one photo that stands above the others is awarded
an AVweb baseball cap as our "Picture of the Week."

You
could say Christmas has come early to "Picture of the Week"
headquarters. With 120 incredible photo submissions, it feels like we've
been opening electronic presents all day! Or were we supposed to open
one a day over the next 12 days? At any rate, we've been waiting for the
first photo of an airplane decked out in holiday lights, and here it is,
courtesy of Meboure, Florida's Mike
Whaley  and the EAA, who decked out Linn Walters's
Pitts S1 for this Valkaria Airport float in the Melbourne Light Parade.
More...

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on AVweb? A question on marketing? Send it to AVweb's
sales team.

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trouble reading this newsletter in its HTML-rich format (or if you'd
prefer a lighter, simpler format for your PDA or handheld device),
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